Loaded Guacamole Salad with Lime Vinaigrette | Summer Side Dish

Dressed in a simple lime vinaigrette, this guacamole salad is a fantastic summer side dish… You’ll love the combination of creamy avocado, tangy lime, and spicy jalapeño, along with a good measure of sweet corn and black beans!

This post was sponsored by the Hass Avocado Board as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

My love of avocados has always run deep, but I gained an even greater appreciation for them during my recent experiment with the Whole30. If you’re not familiar, the basic principle of the Whole30 is to eat moderate portions of whole foods, including a serving of protein, veggies and healthy fats in every meal. Avocados are an excellent source of healthy fat and, as so, are a daily essential on the Whole30.

But there are tons more reasons to include avocados in your diet regularly, including these facts I learned from the Hass Avocado Board:

Avocados, which are a fruit (although most people think of them as a vegetable), contain less than one gram of sugar per 1-ounce, the least amount of sugar per serving of any other fresh fruit.

Avocado contributes nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, making it a good choice to help meet nutrient needs.

Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by helping the body to better absorb fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene and lutein, from foods that are eaten with the fruit.

Though I’m not at all above eating an avocado straight, with just a drizzle of lime juice + some salt and pepper, one of my all-time favorite avocado recipes is this guacamole salad. I first shared it way back in 2011 when I started blogging, so I figured now is as good a time as any to freshen up my photos a bit and re-share it with you all!

Loaded Guacamole Salad

Just look at this gorgeous array of ingredients — talk about a rainbow of flavors! Corn and black beans aren’t something I’d normally include in guacamole, but they’re a terrific addition to a guacamole salad, adding sweetness and protein. You’ll need to put your chef’s knife to work, because lots of slicing and dicing goes into this salad. However, I assure you it’s all worth it.

NOTE: If you want to use this recipe for a Whole30, you’ll need to omit the corn and black beans to stay compliant. But it’s still delicious without them!

The dressing is just a simple lime vinaigrette. I opted to use avocado oil in mine, but extra-virgin olive oil would work equally well. Whisk together the lime juice and zest, salt, pepper, garlic, and chili powder, and then slowly drizzle the oil in while whisking vigorously.

Pour the salad dressing over your chopped veggies, toss well, and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors marinate. I recommend waiting until you’re ready to serve to add the avocado, as it will start to break down some. Or you can use a slightly underripe avocado, and it will hold up to the dressing better.

This guacamole salad is just as tasty the next day — but I’d say it’s much prettier when it’s freshly made. If it so happens that you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, it’s the perfect light lunch when used in a lettuce wrap!

Loaded Guacamole Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Description

Dressed in a simple lime vinaigrette, this guacamole salad is a fantastic summer side dish… You’ll love the combination of creamy avocado, tangy lime, and spicy jalapeño, along with a good measure of sweet corn and black beans!

I have been meaning to make this for awhile now and finally got around to it. I did add the cilantro, like you suggested. My family and I love this salad. This is going to be on the regular rotation at our house. Thanks for posting it.